To test the website without changing the dns record use this method:
http://www.faqforge.com/linux/contro...-a-dns-record/
Changing the hosts file on your workstation affects only the applications that you run on your workstation, so you can test out the settings for a production side withou affecting any customers. Another psotive side affect is that you can do the test in realtime without having to with for the dns caches to change.